Ugandan military chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba has denied allegations that soldiers carried out an Uganda military raid on opposition leader Bobi Wine’s home and attacked his wife. The denial came after Wine accused troops of breaking into his residence in Kampala’s Magere suburb early Saturday morning.
According to Wine—whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi—soldiers assaulted household staff and choked his wife, Barbara Kyagulanyi, during the incident. She later sought medical treatment. Wine, who has been in hiding since Uganda’s disputed January 15 presidential election, said he was not at home at the time.
Kainerugaba, who also serves as commander of the Ugandan Special Forces Command and is President Yoweri Museveni’s son, dismissed the claims in a post on X. “We do not beat up women,” he wrote. He added that the army was not targeting Barbara but searching for her husband, calling Wine “cowardly” and saying, “They are not worth our time.”
The incident comes amid rising tensions following the election, which Museveni won with 71.6% of the vote. Wine, a former pop star turned politician, finished second but rejected the results, alleging widespread fraud. Since then, he has accused Ugandan security forces of ongoing harassment and intimidation.
It remains unclear why the military is actively searching for Wine. However, rights groups and opposition figures have long accused Museveni’s government of using the armed forces to silence dissent—a charge the government consistently denies.
This latest confrontation underscores the fragile political climate in Uganda. With trust in electoral institutions eroding and reports of state-led pressure mounting, the Uganda military raid allegations have drawn renewed attention to the country’s human rights record and the safety of political opponents.
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